A,B,C And So Forth
by OjoOtaku
Summary: A collection of 26 One-Shots, each one themed for the letters of the alphabet. "Awesome." "Bugs." "Cards." "Dependable." 'E' is for "Elevator." Will a random meet-up in a stuck elevator re-spark old flames?
1. Awesome

A/N) Bonjour! Okay, so I've been really bored lately, so I've been archiving , and I've decided to try out The Alphabet Challenge.  
And to challenge myself even more I've decided to write it for a fandom I've yet to post on. (I've attempted a few fanics for Pokemon, but have yet to be satisfied with the final result.) So, here it goes, lemme know what you think.

-A-

"Awesome"

/\

"_**A**__wesome_," Daisy Waterflower would chime to a young redhead. Misty looked up from the book she was buried in to acknowledge the existence of her older sister. The younger of the two looked around the lobby of the Cerulean City Gym, then back down at her book, unsure of why her sister randomly spoke out. "That's so _awesome._"  
There it was again, that word. _Awesome._ It was only two little syllables, seven letters. But among her three sisters Misty heard that word in every other sentence. And it annoyed her more than anything in the world.  
Misty looked at Daisy. The older blonde was talking on the phone, Misty couldn't figure out for what reason, or to who. But every other word seemed to be '_awesome'._

And that was the last thing it was.

"Oh Arceus, that's so _awesome._" Daisy squealed into the phone.

Misty rolled her eyes. At that moment, the door opened, and an ambitious young trainer waltzed through the glass doors of the gym. He seemed nervous, yet excited to battle the leader.

"Oh, I gotta go, a kid just walked in. Yeah, sounds _awesome_. Buh-bye." Daisy finished her conversation and hung up the phone, then looked to the young boy who'd entered the building. "So, we got us some fresh bait." Daisy smiled.  
"I'm Fletcher," The boy announced shakily, yet a tone of confidence in his voice, "I'm ready to battle."

Daisy smirked at the young kid. "I'll lead you to the gym." Daisy walked out from behind the counter and led the boy through the doors and to the pool, where the battle would take place.

Misty watched as her older sister and the trainer walked away, and the young child took the opportunity to prance behind the counter of the gym. In her small stature she could barely see over the blueish color of the marble. She hopped up in the large chair Daisy was sitting in a few minutes ago. She looked through the papers sitting on the marble, and noted the open phone book next to the pink phone receiver.

Misty leaned over, tucking a loose strand of red hair out of her young face and looked to the phone book. '_**Nifty Nails**_' was circled with highlighter. _That must've been who she was talking to._ The six-year-old sighed, leaning back in the chair. She liked it when she sat behind the counter, it made her feel important.

"What are you doing behind there, runt?" Lily's voice rang out into the silent lobby. Her pink hair was pulled back into a ponytail that swung back and forth as her blue eyes stared daggers at Misty.

Misty looked up to her sister. Lily was only twelve, not nearly as authoritative as Daisy, who was going on sixteen. "What's it to ya?" Misty asked, spinning in the chair.

"Oh Arceus, you are so annoying." Lily walked over to Misty. "Where's Daisy. She's supposed to be keeping an eye on you."  
"Well I guess she didn't do a very good job." Misty smirked. Lily wasn't impressed. "She's in a battle."  
"Oh, _awesome._" Lily shrugged, walking back behind the counter.  
Misty rolled her eyes again.

Lily rolled Misty backwards and began to look through the papers on the marble.  
"You're not s'posed ta look at those. That's Daisy's stuff." Misty told her sister.  
"I know that, Runt." Lily turned and looked at Misty. "And who's not going to tell her?"

"Who's going to buy me something?" Misty repeated in the same tone of voice. Her aquamarine eyes stared back at Lily. "Day-" Misty almost shouted her oldest sister's name out.  
Lily slapped her hand over her little sister's mouth. "Can it, runt. That's so not _awesome_." She sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Fine, I'll buy you an ice cream sundae. Just don't tell anyone."

Misty smiled, nodding. "Sure thing." She hopped off the chair, heading to the stairs. "Sounds _awesome_."

Misty hopped up the stairs and into her room. _Maybe I could get used to that word._

Two syllables, seven letters.

_Awesome._

-\ -\ -\ -\

A/N] ) Okay, this wasn't how I'd hoped this one-shot was gonna go, but I think it ended okay. So, review- tell me what you think! I'll have the next chapter up soon. (Insert smiley face here.)


	2. Bugs

A/N) This is actually the second attempt at 'B.' Let's see what comes of it, shall we?

-B-

"Bugs"

"Get it off!" Misty shrieked, flailing furiously around to get the Pokemon away from her.  
"Chill out, Misty." Ash tried to calm down the panting redhead, who was now hiding behind him. "It was just a Ledyba. And you just went a scared it away."  
"Well, where's there's one Ledyba, there's bound to be others. Can we just get out of this creepy forest?" Misty stood, regaining her composure and straightening out her hair.

"Oh, Arceus." Ash sighed. "C'mon Pikachu, let's lead the way."

The mouse Pokemon squealed in excitement, ready to prance off and lead the two friends out of the forest. Since Brock had left, the two kids had been getting lost an awful lot more than usual.  
"Ash, I think we should go this way." Misty pointed the opposite way of where Ash was about to lead.  
"No Misty, the Pokedex says to go this way." Ash told her, pointing to the device in his hands. "Plus, it's a shortcut. We'll be in the city by this afternoon."

"I'll take your word for it." Misty sighed, following the raven-haired boy.

…

It was almost five minutes later and the two were standing in the middle of the forest, totally, in no way shape or form close to a path.  
"Ash!" Misty screamed.  
"Misty, relax, I'll get us back on track." Ash assured, looking at the map he'd pulled out of his backpack.

"That's not the problem." Misty shook her head. "Look-"  
"Look at what?" Ash looked up from the map to where Misty was pointing, a nest of Beedrill in a tree barely ten feet away from them. "Okay, don't make any loud noises, or sounds, and slowly-"  
Misty screamed. And ran away.

The Beedrill didn't like that very much.

They chased the two trainers until they couldn't run anymore, and the two, along with Pikachu, were trapped in a dugout of tree.

"Smooth." Ash commented.  
"Can it, Ketchum. You're the one who got us lost in the first place." The redhead replied.  
"Well, we're stuck here, what do you wanna do?"  
"Get rid of them, Ash." Misty suggested obviously.

Ash sighed, "Okay, okay. Pikachu, use thunderbolt on those Beedrill." Ash commanded.

The yellow mouse hopped up from the leaves on the ground and sent out a yellow burst of lightening into the air, sending the Beedrill retreating back to where they'd come from.  
"Happy?" Ash asked, helping Misty out of the dugout.  
"Yes, very. Thanks a lot, Pikachu." Misty patted him on the head, receiving a happy squeal from the Pokemon.

The two continued to walk through the forest, Misty moving cautiously with each step she took.

"Misty," Ash began to speak, "what's your deal with bug Pokemon to begin with?"

The redhead looked to her companion, thinking of how to answer him. Her issue with bug Pokemon went deeper than just a mere disliking of the type, but she didn't necessarily want to talk about it. "Oh, it's just a peeve of mine." She shrugged sheepishly, taking another step forward. "I've never favored them."  
Ash nodded, buying the story.

…

After wandering through the forest for another two hours, the friends had made it safely to a small town, and they'd stopped by the Pokemon Center for the night.  
"Boy, I'm starving." Ash placed a hand on his stomach. "How 'bout you, Mist?"  
The redhead nodded slightly. "I could use a bite to eat." She slouched back on the couch she was sitting on.

"I'll head over to the vending machine," Ash stood up, "whattaya want?"

"Surprise me." Misty smiled.  
Ash wandered off to the snack area as Misty's mind drifted to it's own thoughts. She rested her head back and closed her eyes, tired from the day's events.

She was almost asleep when she felt an artificially-wrapped something land on her lap, along with Ash's voice announcing, "Here ya go, Mist," throughout the small lobby.

Misty opened her eyes and grabbed the item in her lap- potato chips. "Thanks Ash." She opened the brightly colored plastic and popped one of the salty crisps into her mouth.  
"Misty," Ash began, chewing on his own chips. "what's your real deal with bug Pokemon?" He inquired, an alchemistic tone in his voice.

Misty was taken aback, confused by the question. "Wha- what? You asked that earlier. I told you, it's just a-"  
"But, I want the _real_ reason. Misty, I've known you for too long. I know when you're lying, I know when you're telling the truth, and I know when you're not telling me the whole story." Ash orated.

Misty looked to the back of potato chips in her hand.  
"I'm not going to judge you or anything. I'm just curious. It obviously bothers you, why don't you just tell me?" Ash wondered.  
Misty took a breath. "I've just, never liked Bug Pokemon."  
Ash nodded, scooting closer to her. "Is there a specific reason?"  
"My uh, parents," She started, but looked away when she realized that her eyes were pricking with tears.  
"What about them?" Ash asked, scooting another inch towards the redhead.  
"I was just a baby when they died." She continued, stopping to breathe. "They were out in the forest, when a group of Pinsir swarmed them. Apparently it didn't end well, and they were hurt, badly." Misty looked forward, trying not to let the tears fall. "Since I was little, I've disliked Bug Pokemon."

Ash saw how hurt she was. "Misty," He began, but the words wouldn't come. He scooted even closer, closing the space between them. He reached his arm around her shoulder, letting her relax into him. "I didn't realize that it went so deep."  
She sighed, snuggling into him more. She noticed how his muscles had grown, and she found relaxation in the warmth cascading from his body. She only nodded.  
They stayed sitting in silence for what seemed like hours. Ash rubbing her arm consolingly. She eventually had swung her legs over him, now practically sitting on his lap. Ash didn't seem to mind.

Nurse Joy approached them, "Excuse me, Ash?" She tried not to be bothersome.

The aforementioned looked to the sprightly dressed nurse. "Uh, yeah?"  
"There is a room available. Would you like it?" Joy wondered.  
Ash nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great."  
Joy handed the key over to Ash, and he thanked her as she walked back to her desk.

Ash stood up, slowly, as he didn't want to wake the sleepyhead in his arms. He quietly made his way down the hall and miraculously maneuvered the key into the keyhole and opened the door.

Inside the room was two beds, one on each side on the room. Pikachu had already made himself happy on the padded windowsill, staring at the full moon in the dark, starry sky. Ash laid Misty down on one of the beds, and them tip-toed over to the other. He removed his top layer and laid down himself.

He wasn't all that tired, he just had a lot on his mind. He felt bad after making Misty tell him about the bugs, and the more he thought about it, the worse it made him feel.

_I can't believe she barely got the chance to meet her parents._ _All because of some damn bug Pokemon. I never even thought they attacked people. Maybe it was unintentional. It probably was, but still. Geez. Poor Misty._

He looked over and noticed her stirring in her sleep. She rolled over, facing him, and her eyes opened slowly.

"A-Ash?" She managed through a tired voice.

"Yeah?" He wondered back to her.  
"Where are we?" She asked him. The last thing she remembered she was laying on him in the lobby, crying about her parents.  
"We're in one of the rooms of the Pokemon center." Ash answered. "Joy came over and asked if we wanted it. I figured beds would be comfier than that couch out there." Ash smiled priggishly.

"I'm cold." Misty rolled onto her back and kicked off her shoes.

Ash frowned. "Well maybe," he paused.  
"Maybe?" Misty wondered. In the dark room it was hard to see, but she noticed his figure getting up and moving towards her. "What are you doing?"  
He slipped into the bed with her, pulling the covers up to their chests. "Warmer?" Ash asked.  
Misty blushed, though Ash couldn't tell in the dark room. "I'm still a bit chilly."

Ash wrapped his arms around her, bringing her body close to his. "Better?"  
"Yeah." Misty smiled. _A lot better._

…

A/N) Okay, I like this one... I guess. But tell me what YOU think. **please** : ) That's all that counts!


	3. Cards

A/N ) So, like, the fates, blind as they are... Sorry... lines from my one-act. (Not even _my_ line... ._.) Anyways... onto the next installment.  
Post A/N) In this fic, Ash and Misty are already a couple. I'm not exactly sure when I state that, so I'd like to just point that out now... 0.o

**~C~**

~"**Cards**"~

**-**\**.**/**-**

** C**erulean eyes stared into deep brown ones as a certain redhead shuffled the deck of cards in her hands. The raven-haired boy in front of her smirked.

"Okay, Ketchum, what's the game?" Misty spoke seductively.

The couple was sitting on the floor of their hotel room. They were in Silver Town for Ash's second try at the Silver Conference Championship. Ash had been acting nervous all night, so Misty suggested playing some cards to calm him down.  
But of course, after three straight games of 'War' and a very invigorating round of 'Crazy Eights,' Ash and Misty had both decided that their competitiveness needed some sustenance. They decided to change the game and raise the stakes.

"Blackjack. Face down." Ash replied.

"And the stakes?" Misty asked, straightening out the deck in her hands.

Ash smirked, "Strip Blackjack."

Misty's eyes widened, but she regained her composure and nodded once. "I gotcha." She set down the cards and dealt two out to each of them, face down.

"Okay, look." Misty instructed. Being the dealer, she had all authority in the cards.

They both looked at their cards.

The redheaded dealer was holding a King of Diamonds- portrayed by an artist's rendition of a Mewtwo wearing a crown and holding a scepter designed like a Pokeball- and a Nine of Spades- portrayed by the same artist's depiction of a Ninetails.

"Well?" Ash asked her, a straight look on his face.

"I'm good," Misty nodded, feeling confident with her 'nineteen.' "you?"  
"Me too." Ash agreed. As for the trainer, he was holding a golden ticket. In his hands he held an Ace of Hearts- depicted by an Cubone sleeping in the grass, the same artist, of course- and a Jack of Spades- the artist's depiction was an Articuno. Pretty lucky for the first hand.

Ash was very pleased, but he wouldn't show it.

"Okay, whattaya got, Misty?" He asked, trying not to show his confidence.  
Misty flipped over her cards. "Nineteen. Beat that, hotshot."  
Ash smirked inwardly. "Oh, easily. Read 'em and weep." He flipped his cards and received a gasp from Misty.  
"Oh, Ash," She began, untying her shoe and proceeded to remove it.

The trainer grinned to himself, _This will be a fun game, _he thought to himself.

Misty dealt out two more cards to each of them after giving the entire deck a good reshuffle.

"Look." She nodded, and the two flipped their cards to themselves.

The previous winner held in his hand a Two of Spades- a Magikarp beautifully printed on the card as the representation- and a Four of Clubs- an Eevee.

Misty stared at her hand, one card being a coveted Ace of Clubs- the same depiction as before- and the other was a Five of Diamonds- a Dewgong.

"Well?" She asked, being a good dealer.

"Hit me." Ash stated blankly, keeping a poker face.  
Misty nodded, handing him the top card. Ash looked at it- a Latias and Latios representing the Queen of Hearts, giving him a sixteen.

"I'll hit." Misty said as she took a card for herself.

The redhead stared at a Ten of Clubs- an Arcanine- the card that locked her in at sixteen. She sighed.

"Are you good?" She wondered to her boyfriend.  
Ash thought for a moment. Was she bluffing? Did she have a really good number? Sixteen was pretty good, but also a pretty easy number to bust on. He decided he might as well take the risk, it being early on in the game.

"Hit me." He tried not to look nervous as Misty flipped the card and handed it to him. The trainer stared dead at a Three of Spades.

"I'll stay." Misty announced softly. "You good?"  
Ash nodded, his poker face back.

"Okay, flip." The two flipped their cards at the same time, exposing the numbers.  
"Sixteen." Misty said, not so confidently.  
"Nineteen." Ash smiled.

Misty sighed exasperatedly ash she removed her other shoe. "Ash Ketchum, this lucky streak won't last for long." She warned.  
…

Oh, but it did.

As the couple prepared for the sixth round, Ash had yet to lose, and Misty's next article of obvious clothing would be either her pants or shirt, for she'd lost both her socks and her jacket.

The peeved redhead dealt out the next four cards.

"Okay." She said, a slight twinge of aggression in her vocal cords.  
Misty stared at a Jack of Diamonds and a King of Hearts. She tried not to smile to herself, maintaining her 'poker face' composure.

Ash stared at a Two of Spades and a Ten of Hearts. "Hit me." He asked.

Misty almost physically hit her boyfriend as she aggressively grabbed the top card and handed it to Ash.

The latter stared at an Eight of Clubs.

"You good?" Misty asked.

Ash nodded.

"Okay, flip." She said, then the couple both flipped over their cards.

"Twenty." They both said at the same time.  
"Tie." Ash insisted. "In the event of a tie, both sides remove an article."  
"But I have a twenty with only two cards, so it's not a tie." Misty rebutted. Ash looked down to the cards again, then sighed, removing his shoe.  
"Winning streak over." Misty smiled.  
"It was just a slip, Mist. I'll be back." Ash assured.  
…

And back he was.

Two more rounds passed, and he'd won both of them.  
Luckily, Misty was wearing a bracelet, and she had her Pokedex in her pocket.  
She dealt out the cards.

Ash was hold an unsatisfying Three and Four, and Misty had a Seven and Two.

"Hit me." Ash asked. Misty handed him a card, and turned his 'Seven' into a 'Sixteen' with a Nine.

Misty took a card for herself, and her 'Nine' became a 'Nineteen' with a 'Jack.'

"Hit me." Ash asked again. Misty nodded, handing him the card.

Five.

"You good?" Misty asked him.

"Yep." Ash nodded.  
They put down the cards.

"Nineteen." Misty smiled, then looked to Ash's cards.  
"Twenty-one." He smirked.  
"Damn it all." She crossed her arms, then placed a finger to her chin, thinking of which article to remove. She, unfortunately wasn't wearing earrings that particular day, a downside for her- that could've gotten her through two more rounds. She quickly checked her pockets for anymore debris- wallets, excess change, candy- but nothing appeared.

"Give it up, Misty, you have to take off something." Ash told her.  
Misty sighed, knowing that what her boyfriend said what the truth. She figured out the best thing to remove, and proceeded to take it off.

Reaching under her shirt and to her back, she managed to unclip her bra and proceeded to slip it out from under the red tank top she was wearing. She held the bright yellow garment out for Ash to see then dropped it on top of the pile of clothes in the middle of the two.

Ash smiled.

…

The next round had Misty holding two Nines, and Ash holding a King and a seven.

"You good?" The redhead asked to Ash.

Deciding he wasn't going to risk a bust- meaning losing three articles of clothes- he figured he'd stay where he was. "Yeah, I'm good." The raven-haired trainer nodded.

The two flipped their cards.

"Seventeen." Ash said.  
"Eighteen." Misty sighed, relieved that she didn't have to remove anything that round.

Ash nodded and removed his other shoe as Misty shuffled the cards.  
She dealt the next round.  
Misty had a sixteen with a Six and a King. Ash had a twelve with a Ten and a Two.  
"Hit me." He said, knowing the only way he could bust would be if the card was a 'ten.'

Misty handed him the card, and he stared at it. The beautifully portrayed Charmander portrayed the one card he absolutely didn't need, a Ten of Spades.

But he kept his poker his poker face, with a little luck, maybe Misty would bust, too, and then she as well would have to remove the allotted three articles.

The redhead stared at her cards, debating whether or not it was worth the risk, especially this far in the game. She had no clue what her raven-haired boyfriend was hiding in his hands. She took a breath, and grabbed a card from the pile.

She tried not to sob when she saw a Queen of Hearts staring at her.

"Okay." She nodded, then set her cards down, just as Ash did.  
"Bust," They both announced at the same time.

"Three articles." Ash said, slyly. He knew very well that Misty only had three articles, if that, let on her body.

Misty blushed as Ash removed both socks and his shirt, revealing his chiseled, tanned abs.

Ash looked to her as he dropped his white tee shirt into the pile. "What's the matter?" He cooed to her.

Her blush deepened. "Ash," She whined.

"Misty, you have to do it, it's the rules." Ash told her.

"But Ash, it's my last three pieces of clothes. Can I take off one and let's call it a game?" She begged, pushing out her lower lip and widening her eyes.

Ash couldn't resist; Her cerulean eyes always got the best of him. "Of course, sweetie."  
She smiled lightly as she stood to her feet and slipped her shorts off her long legs. She kicked them off of her ankles and into the growing pile of clothes in between the two.

"Happy?" She stated rhetorically as she sat back down on the floor between them.

"Of course I am." Ash smirked. "Nice thong."

-\-\-\-\-\

A/N) Didja like it? Didja not like it? PLEASE Let me know! Thanks a ton for reading! (Insert emoticon here.)


	4. Dependable

**A/N) Happy reading!**

**-**~**D**~**-**

**"**Dependable**"**

**-**.**-**

"**D**o you have an extra coat, or anything, Ash?" Misty's soft voice sought for comfort as a snowstorm raged on in the mountains of Kanto.

Ash looked to the fretful redhead near him. Her shivering told it's own story; Her normally lightly tanned skin was at the brim of turning a sickly purple color. The snow pounded against the bare skin her shorts and blouse lacked to cover. Her bright cerulean eyes shone through the snow and made contact with his deep brown ones. He grabbed his backpack and dug through it, his own hands shivering. But one of them made contact with something soft and... warm? He retrieved the object from his backpack and revealed a good-sized blanket, a fleece one at that.

He'd forgotten he had it on the first place. His mom must've packed it the last time he was in Pallet Town, or maybe it belonged to one of the Nurse Joys or someone else they'd come to meet while backpacking through Kanto for a second time.

"I found this." He swallowed as he managed to say. "Misty, I found this blanket."  
The redhead looked as if the royal blue blanket was a gift from the heavens. "Oh, Ash. Can I use it, please?" She breathed airily, the words barely forming a question.

Ash nodded curtly. "Only if you share. This thing is more than big enough for the both of us. But first, let's move closer to the trees. The wind is probably less brutal there and at least there will be some protection from the snow." Ash stood as he spoke, trying to estimate how far away the trees were from the two at the moment.  
Misty stayed on the ground, crouched in a ball, shivering. "Ash, help. Please."

The raven-haired trainer put the blanket back into the bag, zipping it carefully for security,. He then proceeded to not only lift the redhead to her feet, but pick her up bridesmaid style and began to walk her to the nearby trees.

…

They sat down in the dugout of a tree just as the stormy sky turned dark. Ash pulled out the fleece blanket he'd recently discovered and proceeded to wrap it around the both of them, in doing so bringing the girl of his dreams closer to his body.

"You're so warm, Ash." Misty managed, still shivering.

Ash ignored the comment, realizing the dampness of Misty's clothes. "Misty, you're clothes are soaking wet." (ahem, he over-exaggerated.) He ran a hand over her shorts and blouse, almost being able to wring out the articles. "Misty, you have got to get them off, you could get sick. Hypothermia, frost bite, even worse." He rambled. "Man, I wish my Pokemon were here." He regretted the choice to leave them at the nearby Pokemon center as the two went for a walk in the 'light winter snow' that soon turned into a dreaded storm.

"Ash, I can't take them off. I don't have," She paused, needing to take an elongated breath, "have anything to change into." She paused again. "I left my bag at the center."

Ash didn't have anything to offer her, either. And he knew the second he tried to give her his only shirt- the one he was wearing- she would flip out over _him_ getting hypothermia or frost bite or worse.

The trainer thought for a moment. _She can't keep the wet clothes on, that's too dangerous. She'll get sick, then I'll feel terrible, and that's something I can't live with. She __**has**__to take them off._ He knew what he had to do.

"Misty, listen to me. I know this will sound crazy, but Professor Oak told me this before. Wet clothes plus a snow storm is bad. Even worse, it's getting dark, so it's going to be hard to find us until morning, unless this storm keels over. So, just hear me out. Take off your shorts and blouse." He paused, probably at the wrong time, to see her reaction. But she didn't seem to have one as she took in what he was saying. He continued, "Misty, this is dire. Please do this. I won't look or anything. Then, we'll wrap you up in the blanket, and you'll be nice and warm. Everything will be great. And you'll get warmer. I promise." He grabbed her cold hands, staring into her warm eyes. "Do you trust me?"  
She only nodded, then looked down. "Ash, it's cold. I'm scared."  
"Don't be. I'm right here." He consoled. "Please, do it. It's for your health, Mist."

The redhead was shivering as she stared at him, waiting for her response to come to her lips, "You- you promise not to look?" She asked airily.

Ash nodded, "I promise."

…

Misty handed her blouse to Ash; It was her last article of clothing, save her bra and underwear. Ash stuck her clothes into his bag and waited to turn around. Misty grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around herself as much as she could, making sure she was saving some for Ash.

"Okay." She mumbled, barely audible in the raging snowstorm.

Ash turned, seeing the redhead bundled in the blanket.

"Misty," He sighed, unsure of what to say to her. He grabbed what was left of the blanket and wrapped himself into that, then leaned back on the tree.

"Ash, I'm so cold." Misty shivered.

The raven-haired teen looked to the redhead. Her normally bright face was pale and sickly, and she looked to Ash with longing eyes.

_Body heat._

"Misty, do you trust me?" Ash wondered, the thought spiking in his mind.

The redhead nodded, "With all my life."  
Without saying a word, Ash unwrapped Misty, her eyes widening, and brought her near him. He traced his fingers over her bare midsection, pulling her waist towards him. He wrapped the blanket around them both, making sure the blue fleece would keep them warm.

"Better?" As asked, his arms wrapped around Misty's slender waist.

She nodded. "Yeah." She blushed. "That's better."  
"I'm glad you trust me." Ash smiled, then placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Misty blushed harder. She was glad that Ash couldn't see her in the darkness. "You're dependable, Ash. That's why I trust you." She told Ash. She pulled herself closer to him, letting each others body heat share the other's.

…

The two remained in the dugout for what seemed like hours as the stormed raged on. Misty had fallen asleep, her head in the crook of Ash's neck. Ash stared out into the storm, waiting for any sign that the snowstorm would end soon.

_I know this storm will end soon. And I'll be dependable. Just as Misty said I am._

"Because we trust each other." He spoke aloud.

Though no one could hear him.

**\\\\**

**A/N) Bleh. It took a while to get this one... At first I couldn't find the right word, then I kept changing it. And even though this one is relatively short, I still feel like it dragged on; Like it took a while to get to the point. But I still hope you enjoyed it, nonetheless. (Review.) Thanks for reading!**


	5. Elevator

**A/N) Okay... I'm totally sorry for the delayed update. What makes me even more ashamed is that this has been sitting in a journal- completed- for like, two months, and I've just been too distracted to type it up until now. But, alas, here it is.**

**. . .**

Misty Waterflower stood in the lobby of the Pokemon Tower, nervously pressing the button to the elevator. She knew that her boyfriend was waiting for her on the top floor, but earlier the man had told her that they needed to talk about things.

And that worried her.

The elevator opened up and she stepped in, then pressed the button to her destination, the tenth floor. The elevator creaked as it moved upward, then suddenly halted on the fifth floor.

Misty sighed, _another delay_, she thought as she looked to her watch. 6:59, and she was supposed to meet Gary at 7:00.

And Misty Waterflower was never late.

She looked up to see the intruder enter the small elevator; a man, about her age with charcoal hair and familiar eyes.

"A-Ash?" She wondered if the person was her childhood friend.

The provoked looked up and stared into deep cerulean eyes. "Misty," he breathed.

Before either one of them could speak, the elevator screeched to halt, shocking both passengers.

The two – who had yet to say anything other than the other's name- gasped in unison and looked to the button panel, where a red emergency light was flashing erratically.

"Oh great," Misty expressed with an annoyed tone in her voice.

"Tell me about it," Ash sighed, then turned back around to find that Misty was currently pacing back and forth the small elevator, occasionally checking her watch. "You haven't changed a bit," he smirked as he leaned against the wall.

Misty stopped and looked at him, then sighed. "Hi Ash," she smiled to him.

"Long time, no see," Ash replied.

"I know," Misty nodded, "so, how've you been? What has Mister Pokemon Master been up to?"  
"I'm hangin' in there. I've been doing a lot of traveling and interviews," Ash replied, "I've been so booked up, I had to plan this trip back to Kanto almost three months ago. I've been traveling around here now, getting recognized and such," he paused, "I don't think I'll ever get used to the fame." Misty looked down, then back up at his next sentence, "but enough about me, what has the infamous Cerulean Gym Leader been doing?"  
Misty relaxed, "Well, not as much as you, that's for sure." The two smiled as a comfortable silence fell over them.

But then Misty remembered that she had someone waiting for her on the top floor. "Oh shit," she expressed, pulling her phone out of the pocket of her jeans, frantically dialing a number.

"Problem?" Ash inquired, noticing her random outburst of actions.

"I'm supposed to be meeting someone, like, now," Misty informed him as the phone rang. Ash couldn't respond before Gary answered on the other line.  
_"Hey Mist, where are you?"_

"Sorta, trapped in the elevator," Misty told him as easily as the words formed.

"_What?!"  
_"Yeah, we're trapped between the eighth and ninth floor and-"

_"We?"  
_"Well I'm not here alone. Other people ride the elevator, y'know. There's someone else in here with me."  
_"A guy?"_

"Does it matter?"  
_"Okay, okay. I'll head downstairs and make sure someone knows."  
_"Thanks Gary." Ash looked up from the tacky carpet as she spoke.

"_No problem, Babe. Love you. And call me if things get too scary in there."_

"I will, love you too." She hung up the phone and turned back to Ash, who was trying his best to act natural.  
"Who was that? Misty finally got herself a boyfriend?" He teased.  
"You're too sweet, Ash," the redhead replied sarcastically. "And yes, I did. We've been going out for two years now."

Ash sighed, "So, who is the lucky guy?" He paused. "I heard you say _Gary_, you can't mean-"  
"I do. Gary Oak," Misty interjected. She noticed the frustration in Ash's face as he balled his fists and turned away from her.

"I can't believe this," He murmured.  
"Ash, you haven't been around for almost five years. A lot has changed. Gary has changed. He's sweet and romantic and he really cares about me."  
"How did this even happen?"  
"Well, he came into the gym a years back to deliver a package from the professor, and we ended up talking for a while. We really hit it off. He asked me out for coffee, and it all took off from there," Misty explained, hoping Ash would understand.  
"And you two had a hot date tonight which is why you're dressed like that," Ash said bitterly, noting Misty's yellow tank top and tight jeans.

"I always dress like this," Misty replied, unhurt by the comment. "You would know that if you stopped by every once in a while."  
"I already told you-"  
"I know, I know," Misty sighed. "You're the Pokemon Master. You've defeated all the gym leaders and you've ranked in all the cups. I got it, okay. I hear enough about you on the TV and in the paper, '_Ash Ketchum wins Unova Championship!' _Meanwhile, we're all back here waiting for you to at least _call_, but we never hear anything. We just gave up on that one. Ash Ketchum is too busy with all his interviews and battles, he never makes the time to call his friends and family!" She was yelling at him by the end of her spiel.  
Ash stared at her. She sat down to catch her breath from her recent lament. He slid down the wall and sat on the floor, bringing a knee to chest. "I called my mom," he began to defend.  
"What?" Misty was unsure if he'd even spoken at all.  
"I called my mom. At least once a week, if not more. So you can't stand there and say that I abandoned my own family when I talked to my own mother on a weekly basis," he paused. "I never called any of you because," he allowed his voice to trail off.  
"Because?" Misty pressed, annoyed at him.  
"Because I didn't think any of you wanted to talk to me," Ash sighed.

"Ash," Misty crawled to him, kneeling in front of him, "I've wanted to talk to you every day."  
"Even now that you're with Gary?" Ash asked, partially rhetorical, though half-way serious.

"Ash, Gary's many things, but he's not you." Misty placed a hand on his shoulder.

Before he could respond, he heard his cell phone ringing from his pocket. He quickly apologized and answered it. "Hello?"  
_"Ash. I was just wondering why you haven't called me yet."  
_"Oh, hey Iris. Well, I was going to call, but I'm currently stuck in a... predicament."

"_What sort of predicament?"_  
"Don't worry, it's not a big deal." Ash paused, "I promise I'm fine, so just have that pretty face waiting for me when I get back to Unova."

"_Okay, Ash. I love you."_

"Me too, you." Ash hung up the phone and slipped the device back in his pocket. He looked back up to his redheaded companion.

"Who was that?" She wondered, just as Ash had when she was on the phone with Gary.  
"My, uhm... She' s a friend." Ash looked down.  
Misty looked towards the wall, forcing herself to continue. "It's okay if you have a girlfriend, Ash. It's perfectly fine with me. We're grown up now."  
"Then yeah, she's my girlfriend," Ash admitted.  
"Girlfriend?!" Misty yelled, hopping to her feet. "You have a girlfriend and you never bothered to tell me?! Ash, how could you?!"

Ash stared dumbfoundedly. "I thought you said... I didn't get mad when you admitted to having a boyfriend!" Ash stood defensively.  
"Well, this is different!" Misty attempted to defend.  
"How? How is me having girlfriend _any_ different than you having a boyfriend?!" Ash yelled back at her.  
"Because I love you more than any other girl ever could!" Misty shouted, standing only inches away from Ash. She could feel his breath on her, and his bold brown eyes never left hers for a moment.  
Before either had the chance to move away, they both leaned towards each other, closing the gaps between them with their lips. He sustained moment lasted for what seemed like an eternity. Ash embraced the redhead, his hands traveling up and down her slender form. She returned the favor, her own hands exploring Ash's grown muscles. The two moaned with pleasure, the other's name escaping their own lips.

"Mmm, Ash, I've waited so long for this." Misty pulled away slightly to rest her head in crook of his neck. "I've always loved you."  
"I've waited so long to hear you say that, Misty." Ash pulled her close. "I never want to let go of you."  
Ash brought his face back to Misty's, pressing his lips back against hers. After another few minutes of a passionate, prolonged kiss, Misty suddenly pulled away.  
"Ash, we can't do this," she told him, escaping his warm grip.  
"What? Why?" Ash wondered, trying to grasp her wrists again. "Just break up with Gary when we get out of the elevator, and I'll do the same with Iris. Who cares if we jump the gun by... however long it takes to get outta this damned elevator. C'mon Misty. What's so bad about that?"  
Misty shook her, sighing heavily. She looked down to her red converse, trying to find the right words.

Ash noticed her mannerisms, and immediately jumped to conclusions. Well, more like one ridiculous conclusion. "Oh Arceus, did that jackass get you pregnant?"

Misty's eyes shot up to stare at him, finding his accusation very odd. "What? Oh no. Oh Mew no," She gasped. "Ash, I love Gary. I've given him two years of my life. _Two years_, that you weren't there for. I can't- I won't give up _**two years**_of my life because of, of some random meet-up in an elevator. How can I be sure you won't leave again?"  
Ash sighed, bringing his head down.

"Life isn't like the movies, Ash," Misty confided. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I think this meeting was fate. We were meant to see each other, but not meant to be together." She wiped more tears. "How long have you been with that Iris girl?"  
Ash looked up at her. "Almost seven months."  
"You're not going to throw away seven months for me. I _won't_ let you."  
Ash sighed.  
"So, when we get out of this elevator, I'm going to meet up with Gary. And you're gonna go back to being famous." Her soft voice faltered and she tried to stop more tears from falling down her face. With a sudden jerk, the elevator began moving again. "And you'll call me, and we'll be friends," She paused. "But nothing more. Okay?"  
Ash sighed, defeated. "Okay."  
The elevator opened, revealing mechanics among other people awaiting to see if the two- more Ash, though- were alright.

Misty walked out of the shaft to her beloved Gary Oak's arms.

"Aw Mist," he kissed her lips. "Have you been crying?"  
She shook her head. "Oh, I was just a little scared." She smiled to him for assurance.

"C'mon," Gary tugged at Misty's wrists. "We need to talk."  
Misty smiled, for real, and followed him, "Yeah, I almost forgot with all the commotion."

The two walked over to a more secluded area on the floor, away from the crowds of people to talk about the break up that Gary had planned.

Ash pulled out his phone and dialed a familiar number. "Hey Iris. Umm," he looked over to where Misty and Gary were standing; And he saw the two-year relationship fall apart as Gary spoke. "We need to talk."

. . .

**A/N) Well? Review? (plz) (Smiley face goes here) Thanks for reading.**


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